What is it about grandmothers and buttons? Grandma’s Briefs is a lovely blog from America, from a self-described “long-distance grandma navigating the waters of grandparenting”. Yesterday she wrote a piece called ‘Granny’s Buttons’, in which she described the two tins... Continue reading

"The Thames is liquid history", wrote some bloke I can't be bothered to google. When it comes to old waterways stories, we Brits tend to think we have the market cornered. Maybe, we think, just across the English Channel, the infinitely larger continental waterways leave behind one or two othe...

Next Tue/Wed 5th-6th Aug, a bunch of volunteers will be taking to the River Soar in Leicester to remove Floating Pennywort. Floating Pennywort is a cute and cuddly species of pond life alien to the UK, whose sole purpose seems to be to go forth and multiply. They pose no threat other than outn...

"The Thames is liquid history", wrote some bloke I can't be bothered to google. When it comes to old waterways stories, we Brits tend to think we have the market cornered. Maybe, we think, just across the English Channel, the... Continue reading

Thanks, Peggy.
So far no one's got angry with me on the post! But I get so irritated with filling station flowers wrapped in plastic. It's partly the plastic, partly the cheap sentiment and lack of commitment.
I think it's charming that there's a tree or a hardy perennial or a bunch of snowdrops or something. I did like the fact that that particular family had made the effort to cut the grass, but I doubt they'll keep it up.
Actually, if it happened to me, I wouldn't want to be remembered at the location where I died, but where I lived.
Andrew

Several weeks ago a young man was knocked off his scooter and killed on the busy A38 dual carriageway, opposite the entrance to Streethay Wharf boatyard. Another dark day, another sad death, another bleak statistic. I was (fortunately) late to the scene, coming across it a couple of hours after ...

Several weeks ago a young man was knocked off his scooter and killed on the busy A38 dual carriageway, opposite the entrance to Streethay Wharf boatyard. Another dark day, another sad death, another bleak statistic. I was (fortunately) late to... Continue reading

Over the last month, boats have been travelling to London for the upcoming Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant. Three weeks ago I was enjoying a relaxed Sunday morning inside Granny Buttons at Streethay when a whistle tooted very loudly as a... Continue reading

American author Jim Ainsworth has written a charming piece on his blog, entitled Granny's Buttons. He records how his wife retained his mother's old spare button bags after she died: My wife Jan spent a great deal of time caring... Continue reading

Dismay! I learned yesterday that Granny hasn't been accepted for a place on the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant , the 1,000-craft procession down the river on 3rd June 2012. I was quick off the mark to apply, six months ago.... Continue reading

Granny has begun a week's tour of the Four Counties Ring, setting off from Burton-upon-Trent today, and returning next year. (Sven Latham has an excellent account of the Four Counties Ring from a week's trip he did back in 2007).... Continue reading

Did you ever see my photo of Canada geese at Windmill End, south of the Netherton Tunnel? I took it in a cold, rainy dusk at the end of 2006, counting up to 18 birds, and at the time I... Continue reading

I've been running back in my mind through the special things that have happened this year. One of my favourites is accompanying Max Sinclair and his family up the newly reopened Droitwich Junction Canal on September 3rd, two months after the full route was officially reopened to traffic. Max...

I've been running back in my mind through the special things that have happened this year. One of my favourites is accompanying Max Sinclair and his family up the newly reopened Droitwich Junction Canal on September 3rd, two months after... Continue reading

Teddington Lock in winter dusk, on 30th December 2008. Monty Python fans make pilgrimages from around the world to this site, to honour the location of the legendary Fish Slapping Dance: Continue reading

After I wrote about Remembrance Day, I was driven to thinking of A Farewell To Arms, the Elizabethan poem by George Peele (not the Hemingway novel which used its title.) Where Remembrance Day is about the 'glorious dead' (and is... Continue reading

I call it 'celebration creep'. It's the tendency for public holidays and ceremonies to grow and grow and grow in duration. Les Dawson once remarked that he knew it was Christmas because the shops were full of Easter eggs. I've... Continue reading

For several years, one of the most practically useful of all canal blogs has been Neil Corbett's Herbie. He has not just kept a cruising log or diary, although it's one of the best of its type. He has frequently... Continue reading

I was reminded of the power of blogs last weekend when I took a daytrip from Horninglow up to Mercia Marina and back. I'd just gone for a pumpout and a quick shop at Mercia Marina. On the way back... Continue reading

When I posted a picture of a dog confronting a canal swan yesterday, as my suggestion for an official mascot of the new Murray Popoff was quick to suggest an alternative: No!!!! You had a photo of a "Crazy" looking dog with a big stick awhile back. I'm sure you will remember it. That should be ...

When I posted a picture of a dog confronting a canal swan yesterday, as my suggestion for an official mascot of the new Murray Popoff was quick to suggest an alternative: No!!!! You had a photo of a "Crazy" looking... Continue reading

British Waterways is to be superseded by the more-encompassing 'Canal and River Trust' next April. And along with the announcement of the name change came the launch of a new logo. It's actually a clever revisioning of the old logo,... Continue reading

Headed down the BCN main line to the Black Country Boat Festival last weekend, I was delighted to catch a really vivid rainbow in the few minutes during (and after) a brief shower in between bright spells. You don't 'chase'... Continue reading

Patsy, I like to say the English canals are 'ethnic', in the sense that they have a unique and distinctive culture. Boats are readily available for hire all the year round, although the hire season only comes into its own from Easter to late September. Best to hire (if you can) when school children aren't on holiday, as it will be a little quieter then.
As to where to hire from, well perhaps the Midland narrow canals are a good start.

I paid a brief visit to the Black Country Boat Festival over last weekend. As promised, I went out for a nocturnal stroll, around 2am, and managed to avoid getting arrested. The full moon did put in an occasional appearance. I've said before how the moon can give a 'stage set' feel to noctu...

Apologies, Dawn. Yes, it's not technically a 'workboat' (I don't know why I called it that).
It *is* old, though! I saw it was Darley when I arrived, but after a night of wandering I forgot, saw it adjacent to Malus, and assumed it was Atlas.

I paid a brief visit to the Black Country Boat Festival over last weekend. As promised, I went out for a nocturnal stroll, around 2am, and managed to avoid getting arrested. The full moon did put in an occasional appearance. I've said before how the moon can give a 'stage set' feel to noctu...